New Blackwood cinema gets ready for gala opening night

TIME TO RAISE THE CURTAIN: The Maxime Cinema as itappears today after a £1.5m redevelopment

The finishing touches are being put to a new independent cinema in Blackwood town centre.

The Maxime, which was originally opened as a cinema in 1939, will open its doors once again to film fans on August 6 after a £1.5 million refurbishment by company Picturedrome Cinemas, based in Bognor Regis.

Adam Cunard, Managing Director of the firm, said the newly reopened cinema would be a huge boost to the town’s High Street.

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He said: “We estimate the cinema will attract an extra 3,500 to 4,000 people a week to Blackwood town centre.”

One of the attractions for the company, aside from the historical nature of the building, was the surrounding car parking facilities in the town, which are free after 5pm.

According to the website cinematreasures.org, the Maxime was designed by architect William S. Wort and had 1,400 seats when it opened in 1939.

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By 1976, it was operated by the Jackson Withers circuit and was running films and bingo.

The Rank Organisation purchased the Jackson Withers circuit in late-1976.

By 1980 the balcony had been twinned, with the two screens seating 194 and 170 and Rank also operating a Top Rank Bingo Club in the former stalls area.

The cinemas were closed on October 25 1988, with bingo continuing downstairs.

Finally operating as a Top Ten Bingo Club, the building was sold to Picturedrome Cinemas in September 2013.

The company has said it has paid close attention to restoring the Maxime’s Art Decco feel while ensuring it meets the high standards of today’s cinema goers.

The building has been split into five screens, each complete with the latest projection equipment including 3D.

Mr Cunard said the cinema will be showing new releases, including the Inbetweeners film, on its five screens from £2.50 a ticket on weekdays and £3.50 on Saturdays and Sundays.

Interest for jobs at the cinema has been sky-high with around 400 applications, with the company taking on around 35 staff.

Mr Cunard said: “We were well oversubscribed.

“It is very difficult when you have that many people, but at least it is jobs to the area.

“We had people of all ages apply and it’s great there’s been such enthusiasm.

“In other parts of the country we’ve put job adverts out and there’s been very little interest.”

Blackwood councillor Nigel Dix has been a supporter of the new cinema since plans were first unveiled last year.

He said: “It is going to serve the needs of people with a high quality experience and affordable prices.

“The main thing for me though is that it is bringing jobs and it will be a huge boost to the town centre.”

Before opening its doors to the public, the cinema will have a charity gala opening on Tuesday August 5, organised by Blackwood Rotary Club.

Croespenmaen firm Four Seasons Entertainment, which programs around 145 cinema screens across the UK, negotiated the purchase of the Maxime on behalf of Picturedrome.

Steve Reynolds, the owner of Four Seasons Entertainment and Vice President of Blackwood Rotary, is organising the charity night.

He said: “Tickets have been selling very well.

“There will be a reception at 6pm at the cinema followed by entertainment and a screening of a pre-release film.

“Then we’ll be heading off to the Maes Manor Hotel for a meal and an aftershow party.”

Tickets for the gala opening night cost £40 and are available from Mr Reynolds on 01495 240700 or 07767454316.

Grow up Jan, rejoices be happy that the town will have a new cinema, I am not taking credit I am supporting it in anyway I can , your comment s reveal a bitter and very unattractive attitude that does not serve you well .unlike you Mr Reynolds who has thanked me for my support

You need to realise that people are not appreciative of any person appearing in the papers at every turn taking praise for supporting something you were opposed to for blackwood. Apply for I am a celebrity or big brother if you want fame and fortune we can all jump on the bandwagon. You need to grow up and represent the people that voted for you.

how childish, I have never opposed a cinema in Blackwood ,that s a Lie, you seek fame through social media, you represent no one and talk ill informed clap trap .The people voted for me to delver jobs and I did delivered jobs . I listen to people in my ward not bitter individuals who speak for no one. I keep my constituents informed via the press and leaflet and will continue to do so, your bitter and angry attitude is ugly and off putting, can you keep them to your self as most people find it very of putting.

Not once in this paper or the argus did you support having a cinema before the maxime was sorted out by steve reynolds and picturedrome. You need to listen to what the people who voted for you want and get in touch with the public. I am not bitter or anything else nig what I do for other people I don’t bang a gong about it or get myself in the paper and its not me, me, me like you I just get on with my life.

Jan, if you check out my twitter page you’ll see a picture of Nigel, Pat, Roy and myself on top of the cinema when we were taken there by Steve Reynolds. Steve took the picture, he rang me when he saw Farina-Child taking credit for the so called “securing” of the cinema in my by-election.

Where you think Nigel opposed the cinema I’m not sure, there’s minutes from Blackwood Town Centre Management Committee and if he was opposed it would have been there.

Alun I am not on social media but good for you on your photo on the roof of the maxime.
Nigel was very vocal when i and others requested having a cinema in blackwood he was asked constantly to have one on blackwood gate retail park and was not interested and at no time did he suggest the old bingo hall himself for a cinema.

You can request what you like its down to the cinema company and owners of Blackwood gate to sort that out. I can only help with planning issue , which I did . the Maxine became vacant and was bought , that’s it , nothing to with council, Town or other. However since the Maxine was bought I have met the owners to show my support and continue to do so.

what happens in the private sectors re occupation of buildings is not an issue for council. planning consent is a council matter, if anyone wanted to set up a cinema at Blackwood Gate that was a matter for the developers , my job was to change planning consent. Having spoken to Mr Reynolds on many occasions I know the full story. Maxine became vacant he bought it and the rest is history . I fear your dislike of me is seriously affecting your judgement.if you want to discuss this face to face I am happy to me you.

the people who voted for me asked me to change the planning consent at Blackwood Gate, I kept at it for 6 years and delivered what the people wanted, and what I promised. Good that you help people. The paper thing gets to you, well , I am an elected representative for the people of Blackwood , and I can tell you that Many of my constituents like to hear what their councilors been doing for Blackwood , they often stop and tell me as much. If you don;t like it , don’t read it and don’t comment on it , just get on with your life in peace

Nig – After your jolly on the 5th August, perhaps you, Allan Rees and all the other Labour Councillors will concentrate on saving council taxpayers’ money by scrapping the idea of getting into bed with the Odeon and wasting at least £6.5 million pounds by providing a cinema in Bargoed. There is a model in Blackwood to follow. At the risk of telling my grandmother how to suck eggs, why not use the obvious solution to encourage the purchase of the old Hanbury Cinema and proceed in the same way. I am sure Steve Reynolds will use his good offices to further that aim in conjunction with the developers of the Maxime. However it is my understanding that the developers will not proceed whilst the council is intent in providing a cinema with Odeon. I have been a Labour Party member all my life and I look forward to all concerned making a decision that will decrease not increase the liability of council taxpayers.

Jolly what are you on about I am paying, its costing me £40. All that the you mention re Hanbury and a Cinema I have already pursued with Mr Reynolds and Cabinet member for regeneration ,I am fighting to stop the Odeon , it was me who brought it to regeneration, as I can not see the logic in borrowing millions to build a cinema, its was me who informed the public about the planned Odeon cost via articals in this paper and the Rhumney valley express. Hope this helps

Nig – because you had stated above that you had been invited to the opening on the 5th, I naturally assumed that you had not paid £40. There is a world of difference in being invited; particularly one would have thought as a local councillor, and paying for the privilege. So having paid this sum presumably you are going as a member of the public? Of course, being a pensioner, not all of us can afford this amount of money. Good luck to those who can I say!

Taxpayers could end up footing part of the bill for the proposed multi-million pound cinema complex in Bargoed.

That is according to Nigel Dix, Labour councillor for Blackwood, who sits on Caerphilly County Borough Council’s regeneration and scrutiny committee.

The Rhymney Valley Express recently reported how plans for the cinema had faltered as the cost would exceed the allocated project budget of £6.9m.

Leader of the council Keith Reynolds emphasised the council remains committed to making sure the cinema development is brought to the town, with national chain Odeon named as the preferred tenant for the cinema.

According to Coun Dix, the council are looking to take out a £4m loan to plug the funding gap. But he believes that could come at the taxpayers’ expense as the loan will not be recovered by revenue generated from the lease.

“Is it wrong that we borrow money to build a cinema for a multi-million pound company called Odeon for them to make the money on it. We are taking all the risk,” Coun Dix said.

“That worries me because in years to come, will we be looking at siphoning money off from other parts of the council to pay for a loan on a private cinema?

“I have concerns around the whole project and the funding gap. It is still a feasible proposition? Let’s not forget, this was conceived before austerity kicked in.

“As someone sitting on the regeneration committee, constantly given lists of things we have to cut, it seems to me the council are looking to borrow money in order to build a cinema for a private company.”

Coun Dix said that he was not being party political by raising the issue but simply wants the public to be informed.

“Raising these issues isn’t a go at Bargoed, or any party. I’m asking the council as a whole. This started under Plaid and has been carried on by Labour so it’s not party political. I’m questioning the viability as I don’t think it’s a feasible option.”

Asked whether he believed the cinema could become a white elephant, Coun Dix added: “It’s all risk. All I know is that if it does go pear shaped, we will be left with the loan and an empty cinema.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen in the future. Again, I question why we are taking all the risk.”

In response, a Caerphilly council spokeswoman said: “The leader of the council recently gave an assurance that the authority remains committed to ensuring the Bargoed cinema development is brought to fruition.

“The council is currently in negotiations with Odeon about this exciting development, therefore it would not be appropriate to disclose any contractual or commercially confidential information around these discussions.”

Just over a week ago my comments were printed in live letters of the Argus protesting over the cost of providing a cinema in Bargoed which had apparently risen to £6.9 million. Arising from this there were no letters of support. from anyone. One would have thought that at least a comment would have appeared in the same medium by a person who has not been averse to replying in the past!
However, it is nice to know we share the same views, wherever we live in the borough. Perhaps I should chase Gary Johnstone more1

I’m not happy at all about the cinema in Blackwood!!. For a number of years we have been expecting a cinema in Bargoed, it seems the council doesn’t have the funding now. I know that the Maxime wasn’t funded by the council but I am very disappointed indeed to say the least that Bargoed misses out only for Blackwood gets the cinema when Bargoed needs it so badly. I know I’m not the only one who’s not happy, this is quite a disappointment for me and the people of Bargoed and the surrounding areas.